My Ming Dynasty, I have the final say

Chapter 119
In the 48th year of Wanli, or the first year of Taichang, November [-]th.

There was nothing going on in the Ming Dynasty this month, not even a single court meeting was held.

However, in order to ensure his presence in the court, Zhu Youxiao still held a small court meeting in Nanhaizi.

The members participating in this meeting are mainly the chief officials and assistant officials of the six temples and nine temples.

In layman's terms, they are Shangshu and Shilang, Zhengqing and Shaoqing.

The reason for the meeting is also very simple. It was caused by Bi Ziyan's letter.

During the accounting process, Bi Ziyan discovered that the excuses for lack of local tax revenue were surprisingly consistent, and no one collected them.

In anger, Bi Ziyan wrote a letter asking for the examination to be re-opened.

"Your Majesty, now that there are frequent wars in Liaodong, I have established a branch office to be responsible for the distribution of money and grain. When I checked the accounts, I found that the Ministry of Household Affairs in Southern Zhili and surrounding provinces ordered the local government to recover the money, but the local government was prevaricating because of the lack of officials."

"Therefore, I would like to ask you to restart the examination."

The first thing that happened during the meeting was that Bi Ziyan stood up and fired a cannon.

"Have you received any reply from those people who were sent to Nanzhili to investigate tax deficiencies?"

Zhu Youxiao did not answer Bi Ziyan's question immediately, but looked at the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

"Return to Your Majesty, not yet."

Hearing this, Zhang Wenda explained aloud.

"Now that the weather is very cold and the roads are difficult to travel, the message is delivered a little slower."

"Ah."

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao nodded and continued.

"What do you think about restarting the entrance examination method?"

"Your Majesty, I think it's okay to restart the examination."

After hearing the emperor's question, Han Xu spoke out.

"In the past, Zhang Taiyue promoted the imperial examination method, respected sovereignty, disciplined officials, obeyed rewards and punishments, and issued orders, which made the Ming Dynasty rich in taxes and the country rich and powerful."

Everyone had met this meeting on the way here, and they had all read Bi Ziyan's letter.

After talking about the benefits, Han Xu changed his subject and expressed his opposition.

"However, I think it is not appropriate to implement it now."

"Zhang Taiyue's examination method punished unfinished matters severely, and he was often demoted and removed from office. However, the current shortage of officials in the Ming Dynasty is serious. If officials are governed by heavy codes, the shortage of officials may become even greater."

"I second the proposal, and I also believe that it is not appropriate to revive the Kao Cheng method now."

After Han Xu finished speaking, Zhang Wenda also stood up and said.

"The passing of the examination is related to the promotion of officials, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs uses the completion of taxes and servitude as the performance assessment of local officials, resulting in a cool comparison."

"In order to pay taxes, local officials plundered people's wealth and forced the common people, causing Guizhou's wives to sell their children, like a bird that lost its nest."

"Cool."

Hearing this, the corners of Zhu Youxiao's mouth twitched unconsciously.

The county magistrate was destroyed, and the governor of the family was exterminated.

Local officials will do anything for the sake of a black gauze hat on their head.

"Your Majesty, I believe that although passing the exam will lead to extreme things, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in the end."

"The national situation is difficult, but local officials are lazy and lax, and do not know how to sympathize with the national situation. Now, the national treasury is in urgent need and the internal funds are empty. It is the duty of local officials to collect taxes."

At this time, Zhou Yingqiu, who claimed to be the emperor's leading figure in the court, stood up and spoke.

"If you are worried about what happened in Kubi, just make it clear that you should not treat the head of Guizhou harshly."

"What Zhou Shangshu said is really easy. If the clear edicts are effective, how can there be a shortage of taxes."

After hearing Zhou Yingqiu's true words, Zhang Wenda couldn't help but shout.

"I believe that the main reason for the lack of local tax revenue is the serious shortage of local officials. The Ministry of Civil Affairs should first find ways to replace officials."

"Your Majesty, I am impeaching Zhang Wenda's corpse."

Seeing Zhang Wenda picking a thorn in his side, Zhou Yingqiu waved his sleeves and struck back with his backhand.

How dare you, a censor of Zuodu who was scolded by the emperor every few days, oppose me, the minister of the Ministry of official affairs in the Sacred Heart?
"Each censor in the Metropolitan Procuratorate has the responsibility to supervise the officials of each department. However, each censor stays in the capital all day long and ignores the actual local affairs. He acts on the news and competes for fame and fortune. As the censor of Zuodu, Zhang Wenda has no In order to rectify the talents of the capital procuratorate, I would like to remove him from the post of censor of Zuodu."

"you!"

Hearing that Zhou Yingqiu told the Procuratorate that the Procuratorate was not telling the truth, Zhang Wenda was instantly shocked. "The court will discuss it, and don't impeach each other at every turn."

Putting down the tea cup in his hand, Zhu Youxiao interrupted Zhou Yingqiu's impeachment.

Don't just make trouble for your colleagues.

"There is a serious shortage of officials in the imperial court. I have already ordered in the previous period to transfer officials from bottom to top and give priority to filling the state officials. But now it seems that the effect is not very good."

He handed a large piece of cloth to Liu Shimin and told him to hang it on the screen.

"In the past few days, I have read the "Notice on Arrival" left by Taizu and the "Da Ming Hui Dian", and I have gained a little understanding."

"In our Ming Dynasty, officials were separated into officials. Those who entered the government through imperial examinations, and those who received money to serve as officials."

"Nowadays, there is a serious shortage of officials in the Ming Dynasty. However, local officials have assisted the chief officials in handling local affairs for many years and have a lot of knowledge about local affairs. Then we should promote these people and join them as officials."

With a wave of his hand, Zhu Youxiao set the tone for solving the problem of official shortages.

"They are all scholars of my Ming Dynasty. I can't tell whether they are high or low, or whether they are loyal, filial or virtuous."

After Liu Shimin unfolded the canvas, Zhu Youxiao pointed to the structural diagram painted on it and said to the officials below.

"I have been chatting with Sun Chuanting these days. From the magistrate Sun's mouth, I have learned how the magistrates of the Ming Dynasty control the county. They mostly rely on the assistant officials and minor officials below."

"If that's the case, let's let officials and officials join forces from now on."

China has always implemented a dual-track system for officials and officials.

Official refers to someone who has an establishment, a rank, a salary, and is one who comes from the imperial examination.

Officials, on the other hand, are not in the mainstream. They are generally recruited and supported by each yamen themselves. They do basic clerical and administrative work, but do not participate in government decision-making. They are divided into central and local officials.

To put it more bluntly, in terms of power in hand, only those with rank seven or above are called officials.

"Your Majesty!"

After hearing the emperor's words, everyone in the hall was immediately shocked. The emperor was too courageous.

When officials and officials join forces, will all the scholars in the world, or should we say scholars with a good reputation, be in trouble?

"The selection of scholars by the imperial court has been finalized since Taizu established it, and it cannot be changed without authorization."

Led by Han Xu, all the officials in the hall knelt down one after another.

With a wave of his sleeves, Zhu Youxiao stood up from his chair and looked at the people in the hall.

"It has been more than two hundred years since the Ming Dynasty, and Chen Ke has been reborn. I have decided to reform and strengthen the country, starting from the merger of officials and officials."

Looking at everyone in the hall coldly, Zhu Youxiao said in a cold voice.

"Chen Fan of the Later Han Dynasty once said that when a man lives in the world, he should sweep the world away and maintain peace in one house."

"But I feel that if you don't sweep one house, how can you sweep the world?"

"Ten years of hard work, no one asked, and became famous all over the world in one fell swoop."

Walking out from behind the long book case and looking at the ministers, Zhu Youxiao said.

"I am worried about selecting a group of book beetles who are not diligent, do not distinguish between grains, and cannot argue with animals. From now on, scholars can enter the county government as officials, promote people to the state capital, and Jinshi to the provincial roads, starting from the most basic Get started."

"Gollum."

Listening to the emperor's words, everyone in the hall swallowed their saliva.

The emperor wants officials to join forces here and there, and he wants to change the system of selecting officials through the imperial examination!

"Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance and I don't dare to specialize in it. Please hold a grand meeting."

Seeing the emperor's face, Han Xu knew that the emperor had made up his mind and he couldn't stop it, so he immediately said.

"My minister agrees."

"My minister agrees."

"My minister agrees."

As Han Xu finished speaking, everyone spoke one after another.

"This matter has been settled. There is no room for discussion. You must give me a statement as soon as possible."

This time, Zhu Youxiao did not listen to everyone's suggestion to hold a court meeting, but said directly in a deep voice.

"You must remember that the affairs of the world belong to me, and I can decide them with my word."

(End of this chapter)